Adjustable golf sole covering



March 20, 1962 J. K. PATTON ADJUSTABLE GOLF SOLE COVERING Filed June 28, 1960 INVENTOR pa fzon k i Jne:

3,Z5,iil5 Fatented Mar. 2%), 1362 free 3,925,615 ADJUSTABLE GOLF SOLE COVERING James Kenneth Patton, Box 6747, Odessa, Tex. Filed .lnne 28, 1960, Ser. No. 39,356 3 Claims. (Cl. 36-7.6)

This invention is a novel adjustable golf sole covering for shoes adapted to be worn by men, women or children golfers, the covering being adapted to lit the soles of various sizes and shapes, and to be adjustably clamped to the ordinary shoe of the golfer, to provide a cleated golf sole for the wearers ordinary shoe.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

in said drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a bottom plan view of my novel adjust- L able golf sole covering;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section, showing the same clamped to a conventional shoe illustrated in dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the heel adjustable clamp assembly shown in FIG. 1, detached; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the cleats, detached.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, my novel adjustable golf sole covering consists of a sole member 1 and a heel member 2 preferably formed of semi-hard nylon plastic material which may be produced in various colors and which members 1 and 2 are adapted to be longitudinally adjustably connected together to conform with the size of the soles of various shoes, the thickness of the members l and 2 generally conforming with that of the thickness of the usual sole of an ordinary shoe.

In FIG. 1, the sole member 1 which is formed of nylon plastic material conforms generally in area to the ball and toe portion of an ordinary shoe, and is contracted at its rear end as at In to underlie the forward portion of the shank of the shoe S, the same terminating at approximately the midportion of the arch of the shoe S, and having on its underside the serrations 1b, and having molded into the portion 1b adjacent the center thereof a nut 10 which may be chrome plated and adapted to receive the end of a screw which secures the heel member 2 in adjusted position to the sole member 1, as hereinafter explained.

Molded into the sole member 1 at opposite sides thereof adjacent the toe portion are toe clasp inserts 3 having outer edge portions 3a adapted to snugly engage the outer edge of the sole of the shoe S, and having horizontal portions 312 provided with beads 30, the portions 3b and 30 being adapted to be molded into the sole member 1 at the time of manufacture thereof. The toe clasp inserts 3 are preferably formed of chrome plated metal, and when molded into the sole forming integral parts thereof with the flange 3a extending vertically so as to engage the outer edge of the sole of the shoe S to locate the sole member 1 upon the sole of the shoe S, so as to prevent lateral shifting of the sole member 1 on the sole of the shoe S.

Molded into the sole member 1 are a number of cleats 4 of chrome plated metal as shown more particularly in FIG. 4, each of the cleats 4 being of substantially conical shape adapted to underlie the bottom of the sole member 1 and each having a short shank 4a, FIG. 4, carrying a head 41;, the length of the shank 4a being such that the heads 4b and shanks 4a of the cleat inserts 4 may readily be molded into the sole member 1 at the time of manufacture so as to form an integral structure therewith. The outer or lower ends of the cleats 4 are substantially conical, as at 4c, adapted to enter the ground surface as the wearer walks thereover to prevent slipping of the wearers shoe S on the ground surface. As shown in FIG. 1, a number of cleats 4 are provided around and adjacent to the outer edge of the sole memher 1, while other of said cleats may be located at substantially the center of the sole member 1 or under the ball of the shoes. Obviously any other arrangement of cleats 4 may be used as desired.

The heel member 2 is shaped generally to conform with the heel of the shoe S; and in advance of the heel S of shoe S the heel portion 2 is deflect-ed upwardly as at 2a and then forwardly as at 2b so as to underlie the portion 1a of sole member 1. The portion 21) is provided with a slot 20 therein as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, through which passes the shank of screw 5, the threads of which enter the nut or plug 1c which is molded into the shank portion 1a of sole member 1, as clearly shown in FlG. 2. The upper face of portion 2b of the heel member 2 is serrated in a manner similar to the serrations 1b of sole member 1 so that the serrations will engage together, and when screw 5 is tightened the sole member 1 and heel member 2 will be securely and adjustably fastened together to vary the length of the covering 1-2. However, by loosening screw 5 the overall length of the members 1 and 2 may be increased or diminished according to the length of the shoe S to which the covering is to be applied.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, heel portion 2 is also pro vided with any desired arrangement of cleats 4 molded into the body thereof, the same being similar in all respects to those molded into sole portion 1, four such cleats 4 being shown molded into heel portion 2 in FIG. 1.

In order to maintain the toe clasps 3 of sole member 1 in tight engagement with the sides of the sole of the shoe S, I provide an adjustable heel clamp assembly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in heel member 2, the same consisting of an arcuate plate member 6 having an upturned bead at its inner edge 6a adapted to be molded into the nylon heel member 2 so as to form an integral part thereof, the portion 6 conforming in shape with the rear end of heel portion S; of the shoe S, the outer edge of plate 6 beyond the heel portion S being turned upwardly as at 612. Secured upon the outer face of the upturned portion 619 of the adjustable heel clamp assembly are nut members tie into which screws 6d are threaded, the same having transverse slots in their outer faces for engagement with an ordinary screw driver. The screws 6d pass through the nuts 60 and engage an arcuate plate 6e which passes around the rear edge of the heel portion S of the shoe S and binds thereagainst to normally shift the golf shoe covering assembly 12 rearwardly of the shoe S and to securely lock the covering 12 into position upon the sole of shoe S. In order to secure the arcuate plate 6e to the heel adjustable clamp assembly, the arcuate plate 6e is provided with a pair of tongues 6f which are struck out of the body of the plate 6e and pass through holes or slots in the upturned portion 617 of the plate 6 so as to maintain the arcuate plate 6e substantially parallel at all times with the upturned flange 6b of the heel adjustable clamp assembly, while permitting the arcuate plate 6e to be shifted toward or away from the heel S as the screws 6d are tightened or loosened. Presumably all parts of the adjustable heel plate assembly are made of chrome plated metal so as to be non-rustable.

As above stated, the sole and heel portions 1 and 2 may be made of various colors, and the cleats, adjustable heel clamps assembly, and toe clasps are all molded directly into the body of the members 1 and 2 so as to form integral parts thereof. In applying the golf sole covering to a shoe of any type whether of size to suit men, women or children, it is only necessary to place the toe portion of the shoe S between the toe clasp inserts 3 and to lower the heel S of the shoe S so as to seat upon the heel member 2 of the cover when the screws 6d are loosened to permit such seating, then by application of a screw driver or the like the nuts 16 may be tightened to clamp the arcuate plate 6e tightly around the rounded end of the heel S of the shoe S, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to frictionally bind the golf sole covering the shoe S, the covering carrying all the necessary cleats to provide proper traction for the golfer.

In order to further center the sole portion 1 on the sole of the shoe S, I provide a suction cup stabilizer '7 preferably of flexible nylon or other plastic material adapted to engage the bottom of the sole of the shoe S at approximately the ball portion thereof, the suction cup 7 being secured to the sole member 1 by means of a rivet 8 or the like, and when so positioned to suctionally engage the bottom of the shoe S so as to further prevent slipping of the sole portion 1 laterally or longitudinally on the sole of the shoe S.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable golf sole covering for shoes comprising separable sole and heel members; means for adjustably connecting the members together; cleats on the said members; toe clasps at opposite sides of the sole member and adapted to engage the outer edge portions of the shoe; an adjustable heel clamp assembly at the rear end of the heel member adapted to engage the shoe heel to shift the covering rearwardly with respect to the shoe; said heel clamp assembly comprising an arcuate plate having a head at its inner edge adapted to be embedded in the heel member, the outer edge of the plate extending rearwardly of the heel of the shoe and being flanged upwardly so as to conform with the shape of the rear of the shoe heel and to be spaced therefrom; a curved plate adapted to engage the rear end of the shoe heel and ad justably carried by the upturned flange; and means on the flange for shifting the curved plate towards the shoe heel.

2. In a covering as set forth in claim 1, said curved plate having tongues struck therefrom and extending rearwardly of the heel and passing through holes in the up turned flange to adjustably mount the curved plate on the upturned flange.

3. An adjustable golf sole covering for shoes comprising separable sole and heel members of plastic material; means for adjustably connecting the members together under the shank of the shoe; cleats embedded in the said members; toe clasps embedded in opposite sides of the sole member and adapted to engage the outer edge portions of the shoe; and an adjustable heel clamp assembly having portions embedded in the rear end of the heel member adapted to engage the shoe heel to shift the covering rearwardly with respect to the shoe; said heel clamp assembly comprising an arcuate plate having a bead at its inner edge adapted to be embedded in the heel member, the outer edge of the plate extending rearwardly of the heel of the shoe and being flanged upwardly so as to conform with the shape of the rear of the shoe heel and to be spaced therefrom; a curved plate adapted to engage the rear end of the shoe heel and adjustably carried by the upturned flange; and means on the flange for shifting the curved plate towards the shoe heel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,039,928 Gray Oct. 1, 1912 1,070,951 Elliott Aug. 19, 1913 1,487,390 King Mar. 18, 1924 1,837,730 Smith Dec. 22, 1931 2,668,373 Russo Feb. 9, 1954 

